The letter to myself

Dear Ka Chi,

It has been an extraordinary experience to have English 1B class with professor Brian Lewis. Through the different reading we have examined, I now have more knowledge about the place where I study—California. Under the theme “California Dream”, I understand more about why people from all over the world choose to come to California. It also reminds me of why I am here, and motivates me to study harder to strive for my goal. As an international student from Hong Kong, I have always realized that English is not my forte and there is always room for improvement. It is one of the most valuable courses I have took in Foothill College. I have learned a systematic way to improve my thinking logic; writing skill and some meaningful stories enrich myself.

Close reading is a skill that I have further enhanced in this class. As the writing in this class is relevant to the different articles we have gone through in class, the readings take a very important role in helping me to develop my response in my essays. It can also improve my reading skills; as I am majoring in Architecture, which requires much reading, reading quickly while noting down all important points is a skill that can help me immensely. Close reading helps me to understand the content in a better and quicker way.

Free writing is a useful skill I learned in the class; it is a new but effective way to develop my thesis and ideas within a short period of time. In every piece of the free write, I can jot down anything related to topic that reflects what and how I feel towards the topic. It can also show my understanding towards the topic, and is a very good guide for me to set up an outline for the essays.

PIE is the concept that I have learned in this class which helped me to construct better paragraph. I have heard of it in some other classes, but I did not pay much attention to it. PIE is a way to construct paragraph. P is means the point, which usually shown in the topic sentence, which shows reader ideas of each paragraph. I stand for information, the examples to prove the claim of the paragraph. This can effectively give support to the point. E means the explanations of the example and the claim. Through analysis the examples, it can make the whole logic clear, more persuasive.  The sequence of the I and E are interchangeable, and can be constructed with numerous variations. For example, a paragraph can be in the form of P I E I E I E, depending on how the writers want to interact with the readers. A little conclusion made at the end of each paragraph can make it much clearer to the readers what the paragraph is about. Each paragraph is mainly constructed by these three components, and this writing method is very effective in the communication between readers and the writer. It makes it easier for the readers to follow writers’ logic.

Not proofreading my works had given me a very heavy lesson in this course. As Professor Lewis mentioned his class: “Don't let your readers to proofread”, an essay full of mistakes is really discouraging for readers to continue reading. When readers start to proofread the essay, they will only focus on the grammar but not the content of the piece. Thus, proofreading is a vey important process in every writing experience. It can improve the whole article and give it a much better presentation. It can also check the essays on paragraph level, ensuring the flow of the paragraphs and seeing if they make sense or not. I think it is the section that I have improved the most, but there is still much room for improvement. I really hope I can master this skill and become a better writer.

From reading the lyrics of the poems to watching the movie “Crash”, I have understood more about origins and the development of California multiculturalism. They have given me guidance to my life. For instance, in the process of writing the first in class essay, I learned from the readings about those who came here for their dreams. I understand that there is always a price for success; it is a concept of give and take, and if we need to become a successful person, it is necessary to engage ourselves much more than others. It is also necessary to take some risks at the critical moments. As the old Chinese saying goes, “ A risk represents the availability of another possibility”. This also makes me understand that there are common factors in different cultures. Though there are many different cultures in California, it is not necessary for us to block away those that are foreign to us, but to open our mind and try to accept others’ strengths.

Though the English 1B class has added pressure to my studies, it is definitely the class I enjoy most this quarter. I learned, and I grew. I learned from teachers and classmates and also from my mistakes. It helped me improved my writing skills, and enhanced my writing styles. Taking this class has definitely helped my abilities in English, and contributed much in my pursuit of my California Dream.

Yours sincerely,

Ka Chi

Multiculturalism- Makes or Mars California

It is very common to hear Californians using the word “multicultural” to describe the Golden State. California is the state of multiculturalism; the melting pot where the hearts of individual ethnical traditions meet. Different ethnical groups come try to find a place in this land of hope, and everyone come here to share their original cultures or even attempt to infiltrate the American culture with their own, and to seize every available opportunity to realize their ambitions. Under such social atmosphere that applauds diversity, people worldwide arrive California to rewrite their lives without sacrificing or abandoning their roots. The long history of cultural mingling has allowed California to develop its unique culture of mixed traditions.

Multiculturalism is a popular theme discussed in various articles, novels and movies. These arts and literature analyze the impacts of foreign cultures on America, and employ different ways to depict California from the perspective of immigrants. In the pieces examined in class, the writers recorded the numerous views of Americans to multiculturalism and how Americans respond to such unique characteristic. Furthermore, they offered their opinion to the different cultures, how they interact with one another to clarify doubts, and explain the misconception of Californian multiculturalism. More and more people understand the origins of social issues through the interaction between the works of art, and prevent conflicts by appreciating and respecting the differences in each other’s culture.

The writers used metaphors to present the problems arising from multiculturalism, and these subtle suggestions can allow space for readers to decipher the meaning of multiculturalism through their understanding. In the novel “American Son”, the author inserted different analogies to symbolize the facets of America. The family represents California; Tomas represents the whites with privileges in society; Gabe represents the minorities, especially the Asian Americans, who are shy and unwilling to express their inner thoughts easily. She also represents people who are trying to strive for a social status, showing how the whites are more prestigious than other races, especially Asians.

Metaphors can also be found in the movie “Crash” to suggest the influences of multiculturalism—the title is already a representation of the current situation. The name “Crash“ can represent collision and the consequence of the assimilation of cultures. It can create visual impressions within readers to conceptualize the integration of cultures. The last scene of the movie concluded the story with the car crashing and the camera zooming out, recording a fight that resulted from the accident. It implies that if multiculturalism does not develop peacefully, it will create endless racial conflicts. The movie also used symbolic objects to represent various messages, for instance, guns stands for authorities and power. It implicates that different races want to fight for the power in California, or even in America.

Californians doubted the possibilities of multiculturalism; they do not have the faith to understand the value of various cultures. Through different media, the pieces try to clarify each other’s doubts. Professor Gregory Jay’s article “What is Multiculturalism” questions whether America is the melting pot of cultures and responded in reference to other artistic works. "America's traditional conception of itself as a " melting pot" of diverse peoples joined in a common New World culture has been challenged by those multiculturalists who consider the " melting pot " metaphor a cover for oppressive assimilation". Meanwhile, the movie “Crash” hints a solution to the professor’s uncertainty. Based on different scenes, audience are able to notice different kinds of conflict between races, and how various cultures were not well assimilated in 2004. The movie answers the question by providing some direct examples, which are authentic and persuasive.

The pieces also projected the serious problems led by misunderstandings between different races. In the play “Bordertown” in “Culture Crash of America”, the Militia Man stereotypes two Mexican-American, and uses different method to confirm the two Mexican American’s identity at the border of California and Mexico. The Malitia Man did not believe them even when they were able to show their identities and pass all the verbal tests. The movie “Crash” recorded the interaction and conflict between people of different races. There was a scene about a white American local district attorney Rick Cabot and his wife Jean going to retrieve their car. On the way, Jean stared at the two African-American youngsters Peter and Anthony, and sped up. After the two African-American saw how they reacted, they decided to reveal the guns and robbed the car. This scene showed how one race is being stereotyped by another; each party had their own stereotypes about the other, and therefore behaved in certain ways. Some races are always being assumed as something which is not necessary true; people have always established false correlations between improper behavior with certain ethnicities. However, as mentioned in the article ”What is Multiculturalism” by Professor Jay, ”’race’ has no significant meaning as a way of categorizing human differences“. This proves that there is no correlation between the behavior and skin colors. The interaction between two pieces of work shows different opinions to the unique culture of America.

Some races try to dominate multicultural California. They try to exert their own characteristics over other races. However, among different ethnicities, white Americans have effortlessly done so without much work. “As a white person, I realized I had been taught about racism as something which puts others at a disadvantages, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege, which puts me at an advantages.” (McIntosh). In articles, movie or even in reality, the whites are always considered as a focal point; their actions are often discussed in relationship with those of other races such as Asian, Mexican, and African. Most of the works examined in class suggested bias in favor of the whites; people try to portray the social status of the whites as considerably higher than that of other races. In some cases, white people try to create an unrealistic image to the public that they perceive everybody in the same perspective, however, they do not act accordingly as they think. The different scenes in “Crash” about the young police officer can prove this. In the beginning, officer Tom Hanson complained to his boss that his partner John Ryan committed sexual harassment to an African American woman Christine when they pull-over the car Christine was in. He was eventually approved to work alone, and he considered himself good and different because he did not discriminate. However, in a later scene, he offered an African American a ride, and when the youngster rummaged through his pocket, Hanson immediately assumed that the youngster was carrying a gun and killed him in panic. Despite his denial, he also stereotyped African American as being violent and dangerous.

Respect is the most crucial element that can pull different cultures closer together. The first play “Bordertown” in “Culture Clash of America" commissioned by San Diego Repertory Theatre proved that people always stereotype others by their skin color. In the conversation between the two Mexicans and the Militia, the Mexicans keep claiming themselves as Americans not Mexicans even if the Militia Man keep assuming that they were Mexicans. This is disrespectful how the Militia Man keep assuming a certain identity for others while they had already clarify who they were. Another scene in “Crash” also presented the same idea. An African youngster Anthony and his friend Peter tried to rob Cameron’s car. When Cameron, who was also an African American, tried to hit Peter, Peter called Cameron “You stupid nigger”, which was extremely disrespectful to Cameron. After being pull over by the LAPD, Cameron said to Anthony “You embarrassed me. You embarrassed yourself”. This shows that Anthony did not only discriminated Cameron, but also himself and his own race. If even African America themselves discriminate one another, it is hard for others not to stereotype them, and even harder for other races to show mutual respect towards them.

Racial conflicts are usually shown in different literature works. However, it does not mean that different cultures cannot fuse well. The movies “Crash” and novel “American Son” both show some scenes that reflected the contradicting psychologies of American. In “Crash”, local district attorney Rick Cabot and his wife Jean were being robbed by African American, and this scene showed how one race is being stereotyped by another. However, Cabot’s assistant turned out to be African American as well. This created a contrast with what happened earlier on.. Moreover, the attorney kept murmuring in the office about the African American youngsters in front of her assistant, and attacking her race. This is quite ironic that he kept blaming the African American when he was assisted by one of them. In addition, in “American Son”, Thomas, a mixed white Pilipino who dressed like a Mexican, trained guard dog in German and sold them to the rich and famous. This was rather special for Tomas to act like that, however, it actually represents the process of multiculturalism. It shows how Tomas has received the influences from different culture.

Though multiculturalism has stirred up certain problems, it has also successfully help cultures fuse in some aspect. Despite the many negative incidents discussed above, different cultures did fuse well in some extends. For instance, in “Crash”, different races work together in the police department in Los Angles. This shows how different races can cooperate for the same goal. A similar situation can be seen in the article “Integrated City” which said: “Two of every ten babies in Sacramento is multiracial, an increase of more than 40% since 1982.“ This suggested that there is an increasing number of mixed children born, children like Tomas and Gabe in the novel “American Son”. This trend can be explained as an increasing popular that accepts people from other races, or even marry them and start a family with mixed cultures. Different cultures have started to fuse in a good way the enriches the American culture.

Multiculturalism can be beneficial by creating more diversity in California. In the article “Integrated City”, it stated: ”In the 2000 US Census, 24 in 1000 people said they were multiracial (it is the first time Census pollers asked the question). It is often said with pride.“ This shows that people is not ashamed to be multiracial. The government wants to make good use of the influence brought about by the various cultures. It can also be understood that people are proud to be multiracial. Being physically diverse has indirectly guided them to be more receptive and understanding to different cultures, since they themselves embody more than one race. They can effectively interact with others with different ethnical background. It seems that they can appreciate others’ culture or even language, which can help them to broaden their horizons and extend their social networking.

Interactions between different races do not have to be hindered by cultural differences. Multiculturalism can work well in California. In the ending of “Crash”, there was a very touching and meaningful scene that created a contrast between the issues covered in earlier parts of the movie. Jean, the wife of the local district attorney, fell from the stairs, and was rescue by her house servant. Her changed attitude towards the servant shows that multiculturalism is possible in California, and the hug between them represents care, friend and love. These are powerful enough to break the barriers of different races, and to mark a stage of progression of multiculturalism. It is not easy for us to accept things that are foreign or even contradictory to we used to know. Nevertheless, each of the cultures now prevalent has accumulated the wisdom of our forefathers, and each of them contains knowledge that is valuable to the improvement of humanity. Multiculturalism is not an easy task, but it will certainly be the future trend when we try to establish the global village in which people of all races will have to accept one another.

The extensive readings and movie watching provided adequate information for us to understand multicultural California through different sources. They offer more insights to the environments we live in. They explain some of our common but incorrect actions in life: why we treat some race the way we did. They also suggest hints and questions for everyone to think about. If we have the chance to understand the root of these issues, we can find methods to deal with the conflicts between different cultures, and avoid the collision between races, and to fuse together the advantages of each culture. This can eventually bring out the best from every culture, and to realize the true meaning of multiculturalism. The multiple articles, novels and movies analyzed for this assignment might not have displayed a healthy or desirable side of multiculturalism, nevertheless, they have given us much room to interpret the writers’ messages. All growths and progressions in human history have been painful, but it is only through these difficulties that we can learn and improve.

Reflection 

This is the last outclass essay I wrote for the English class 1B. I think it is quite challenging. As all the projects and final papers are due in the last two weeks, they reduced the preparation time of writing this essay. I think this essay is not as good as the second essay that I wrote out of class. I think this essay can include more depth on the analyzing the materials, explain them with more detailed analysis. I should also use more quotes to support my ideas, which makes my ideas more persuasive.
There is something I think I have improved is the sentence structure, I think I have increase the variety of the sentence I composed in my last out-class essay. However, I think I should put more effort on proofreading, not only on the grammars, but also on checking the logic and the flow of the whole essay.

Overall, I am quite disappointed on this essay that it is not written as good as I had expected. I feel sorry that I cannot make a good ending on the last out-class essay.

California in Poem

What will you think of when people talk about California? Hollywood? Silicon Valley? Long Beach? California is a special place renowned for her richness in resources and opportunities, mostly made famous by the gold rush in the twentieth century, as well as the prominent film industry and the legend of the Silicon Valley in the 21st century. These anecdotes have attracted people from all over the world to start their lives afresh in the Golden State, thus creating a unique California immigrant culture.

Since the last century, the California dream has become a very common topic discussed worldwide, and has been mentioned on various sources including written articles, photographs and poems. There are various ideas about the California dream suggested in the book "California Dreams and Realities". The poems "Orange County Historian" by Michael J. O'Brien and "Yuba City School" by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s were both written based on the problems Californian immigrants encountered in this foreign land. However, the two poets have their own approach to the issue, and both have employed different tones and expressions to provide dissimilar views on the difficulties these migrants faced.

The two poems were written about California immigrants with different backgrounds. “Orange County Historian” talked about the history of California with regards to traffic problems. A significant increase of immigrants led to a huge increase of vehicles on the freeways, adding to the existing problems of traffic jam. During the early twentieth century, the Pacific Electric Trolley Company encouraged people to live in countryside and work in the city, thereby greatly increasing the number of commuters on the freeways. Moreover, the speed of building new freeways was not fast enough to reduce the effect of the largely increase of the number of vehicles. Thus, the traffic problems were very common in that period of time. Conversely, “Yuba City School” was based on the history of immigrants from South Asia and Indian. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and her son Neeraj came to California in hopes of realizing their dreams. However, during those times, the immigrants who came from non-European countries were being stereotyped as strangers and outcasts. In the poem, the teachers allocated Neeraj to sit at the back of the classroom with a fat boy who drools, saying that he was an idiot. This illustrated how poorly the immigrants were being treated back then.

 

The two poems recorded the difficulties immigrants faced with a sad tone. In "Orange County Historian", there was a verse “After an hour of sitting anxiously, desperate commuters self-consciously….”. It talked about the uncomfortable feeling of immigrants to have to wait in the traffic. It was not something that they were used to and definitely something that they had to learn to bear with. Furthermore, this situation was an implication to all the uncertainties in the new life that these immigrants had to bear with. In the poem "Yuba City School", it recorded the reaction of the main character: “ Neeraj came crying from school.” This directly showed how he responded to the new study environment, explained that Neeraj is not happy with what he meet and experience in the Yuba City School. In the sixth verse it said: “He bites down on his lip to keep in the crying, they are waiting for him to open his mouth, so they can steal his voice.” This verse showed the emotion of Neeraj when he was being bullied at school, He tried to be tough as he bites down his lip in attempt to stop crying. It recorded the unpleasant experience of which immigrants were being discriminated in the new country. It was also very indicative of the mistreatments immigrants received back then. In the times where society placed huge emphasis on social hierarchy, the immigrants were at the bottom of the social ladder and were often being neglected and abused as they were seen as being inferior.

The hardship immigrants faced in pursuing the California dreams was the main idea shared in these poems. The two pieces talked about different problems these migrants came across in California. The "Orange County Historian” was based on the traffic culture of California. The problem of traffic congestion might be a new challenge to overcome. As mentioned in the poem: “Like bathroom drains, on-ramps and off-ramps got plugged tight, so the thousands who sought to get to work or school slowed to a crawl, then to a stop.”, congestions in California could be something that these immigrants had never seen in their lives. It might seem like a very common social hiccup in advanced countries, but for those arriving from other nations, it might be an unconventional phenomenon. On the other hand, "Yuba City School" talked about the mistreatment of Neeraj in school. It described how he was being disrespected and stereotyped by his teachers, especially through the incident in which his teacher called him “idiot, idiot, idiot”. This showed how remarkable and hurtful that experience was to Neeraj’s. It also implied how these immigrants were often being stereotyped and discriminated in a foreign country. During those periods when society placed a huge emphasis on social hierarchy, the migrants were at the bottom of the social ladder and had to endure much pain in order to live.In addition, thee same poem reflects how speaking English was a problem on these foreigners. The poet mentions: “ Tomorrow in my blue skirt I will go to see the teacher, my tongue stiff and swollen in my unwilling mouth, my few English phrases. She will pluck them from me, nail shut my lips.“ The verse, though comprehensive, did not make much grammatical sense. It suggested how children and adults alike had to overcome the language barrier in order to thrive and chase the California dream. They had problems in communicating with the natives, but the language was something they have to tackle if they wanted to be successful in the new land. The problems discussed in the poems were common issues California immigrants needed to overcome.

Though the two poets wrote about different histories and issues, both tried to illustrate the discrepancies between the reality and the ideal California dream. The poem “Yuba City School“ brought out the problem of how pursuing the California dream came at a great cost. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni sacrificed both her and her son’s childhood in order to come to America. As she wrote in the ” Yuba City School”: “The earth, he knows, is round, and if one can tunnel all the way through, he will end up in a Punjab, in his grandfather’s mango orchard, his grandmother’s songs lighting on his head, the old words glowing like summer fireflies.” This expressed how much Neeraj wanted to back to the past, to have the comfortable and painless life he comfortable with. It contrasted with the horrible treatment he was given in California. The California dreams were not as easy and happy as it seemed. It was about chance and opportunities, but it was also about the pain and cruelty they had to go through in hopes of achieving big. The “Orange County Historian” discussed a more physical problem of traffic jam in California. The migrants were not expecting such problems caused by technology, and it surely was a factor they did not consider when chasing the California dream. To them, California was a beautiful place with temperate climates and beautiful landscape. It must have been quite a cultural shock when they realize the real California was a state with heavy problems on traffic. There were many problems that these immigrants did not foresee when they decided to try out their chances in California, and both poets tried to point out the different between reality and dream.

Moreover, the two poets wrote about immigrant problems and experience that are still applicable in present days. The story of “Yuba City School” is very common and similar to the experiences international students now face. Though much has been done to eradicate the issues of discrimination, the problem of language barrier still exists. New immigrants/foreign students still have to overcome the obstacle of communication with Americans, and they can be very easily discouraged in the same way Neeraj was. On the other hand, “ Orange County Historian” provided a relevant situation of traffic jams prevalent across California. It is a scenario that immigrants and Californians alike may face on a daily basis. Though the poem was written in the 90s, the same problem still exist in this state, if not worse. Many Californians have adapted to life and travelling in a vehicle, and most of them cannot simply go anywhere without a car. Although the issues discussed in the two poems were rather different, they were both problems that still existing in the present world.

The poems "Orange County Historian" by Michael J. O'Brien and "Yuba City School" by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni introduced different histories of the immigrants, what difficulties they had to overcome, and how the California dream was rather different from how people imagined it to be. Both poems were written based on the themes of California dream and California immigrants, but the two took rather different approaches. They were derived from the different backgrounds: one talked about the physical circumstances in California while the other mentioned the history of South Asian immigrants. The two also discussed different problems these immigrants faced. However, both poets seemed to have a similar way of relating their view on immigrants to the California dream; both hinted that the dream was not as glamorous as it seemed and there were a lot of sacrifices made in the pursuit of success in America

Relfection 

As the second out class did not do any draft in class, I was a bit worry about my thesis statement and the supporting ideas. I found out that I am quite rely on people’s comment on my writing but not really believe in myself.

Furthermore, I think I am not creative enough on giving title to my essays. A good essay can give people some idea to know what is going about in the article, or even make a point to make the readers think. Unfortunately, I was failed to do this in the out class essay 2.

In this essay, I have changed my writing style, try to talk about the essay with some short paragraphs, I think it can keep readers clear with what and why I want to say. However, I think there can be more balance on the two poems, as I was doing the project on the poem Yuba City School; I am more familiar with the idea in it. I think the analysis on the Yuba City School poem is detailed. On the other hand, the poem Orange County Historian, I think I should have a deeper understand on the background before I analysis it. Different understanding on the background did many influences on the poem and would affect the way I construct the poem. Overall, I think it is a better essay comparing to the previous essay on writing level and style but not content wise. 

YES or NO to 30?

Politics is a very complicated science. There is no merely one solution to any single issue, and it is heavily swayed by external conditions as well as psychological bias. Analysis of political events is very similar to literature appreciation; different individuals, based on the same issue, can derive opposite stands based on their own interpretations. The California 2012 ballot propositions have stirred up numerous opinions in the nation. However, there are still plenty of those who have yet to take up a stand. In these situations, it is common for politicians to employ certain advertising campaigns to gain favor and persuade the people to support their stands. Among these propositions, Proposition 30 is one of those that have aroused much attention from the society. Those in favor and against the proposition have fervently proposed many arguments to support their own position. However, through examining the different advertisements available in the media, a few logically fallacies can be found in the reasoning of those in favor.

Earning more money does not necessary relate to extra social responsibility. Many people are inclined to vote for proposition 30 based on the notion that the state will be increasing the tax rate on wealthiest Californians earning over $250,000 annually. However, these voters have committed an appeal to ignorance fallacy. The official California Voter Guide stated that "Only highest-income earners pay more income tax: Prop. 30 asks those who earn the most to temporarily pay more income taxes. Couples earning below $500,000 a year will pay no additional income taxes." There are neither constitutions nor legislations that demand higher levels of social duties from those who are better off. It is false to justify higher taxation on the affluent just because there is little opposition to the proposition. Every member of society is subjected to identical levels of social benefits and responsibilities. Therefore, no one has the grounds to warrant additional taxes from the rich when they are not granted extra welfares from higher civil burdens. Paying extra is an act of philanthropy, not responsibility. Moreover, higher income is a reliable indication to one’s ability and profession. Many of these top earners have strived diligently to achieve their current status. Thus, the progressive tax proposed would be a punishment to their efforts. Such taxations are not healthy to the economy, as it implicitly promotes slacking work ethics. It is foolish to invest more into work just to contribute more to the state revenue, and no one is willing to labor for the fruits they will not reap. It is faulty to suggest additional social responsibilities from the wealthy, and such changes in tax policies will only discourage economic activities.

Advocates of the proposition vows that it is the sole means to ensure public safety. However, there is a slippery slope fallacy found in the argument made by California Labor Federation on the proposition. California Labor Federation publicly states: “Prop. 30 will make sure public safety is required in our state’s constitution, so that funding cannot be cut without voter approval. It will put more cops on the streets and save the state billions on future prison costs.” It looks logical, however, when we think deeper, the correlation between the numbers of police and the in prison cost is irrelevant. There are no chain relationships between the number of cops and crime rates. More officers do not mean that the criminal rate can be effectively reduced. In 1972, the police department of Kansas City, Missouri undertook the experiment “Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment“ to analyze the correlation between preventative patrols and crime rate. The experiment compared the criminal activities between three different police beats in Kansas City with varied patrol routines, and the results showed that "the experimental conditions had no significant effect on residence and non-residence burglaries, auto thefts, larcenies involving auto accessories, robberies, or vandalism…in terms of rates of reporting crime to the police, few differences and no consistent patterns of differences occurred across experimental conditions”. The increase of preventive patrol has little value in eliminating crimes. Change in levels of police does not correlate with higher levels of public security, thus, the experiment is proof that the argument made by California Labor Federation on Proposition 30 is not valid.

The campaign for Proposition 30, in attempts to gain more support, gathered momentum by recruiting politicians and various associations, hoping to stack up their odds through endorsement effect. Nevertheless, authorities are not always correct. In the argument for the proposition from The Daily Democrat (Woodland, California), it mentioned: "This tax increase is supported by Gov. Jerry Brown and would avoid deep cuts to public schools, community colleges and universities." The press committed the appeal to authority fallacy by trying to rationalize supporting the cause: Jerry Brown says yes to Prop. 30, so should the Californians. There are no direct relationship between Jerry Brown and the effect of tax on the funding on schools. The governor has his own take on the issue, so does thousands of other people. His opinion is not indicative of any moral value. It is simply his position on the proposition. There are advertisements adopting the same strategy to promote their brands through high profile endorsers. Yet, these endorsements do not guarantee the products’ qualities, and one must not neglect the commercial values and publicity in the ads. Individuals have their own standards as to what is right or wrong, good or bad. Therefore, authorities are not in a position to decide for the majority of the public. Jerry Brown’s support on proposition 30 has no business to do with opinions other than his own.

Furthermore, Proposition 30 is concentrated to gain votes by pledging funding into education. The California Teachers Association asserts that passing the proposition will guarantee investments in the younger generation, yet failure to do so will plunge these budget cuts. The California Labor Federation stated: " Prop. 3 is the only initiative that will protect school and safety funding…Schools face an additional $6 billion in cuts if Prop 30 does not pass. Instead, Prop. 30 will provide billions in new funding starting this year, which will go towards things like smaller class sizes, updated textbooks and rehiring teachers." This statement committed a false dichotomy fallacy. Additional billions of budget and an additional $6 billion cut are two extreme choices. Those in favor of the proposition are offering to solve the dilemma by providing two solutions. The sole solution to escape the reduction of resources into schools is to support Prop. 30. They have intentionally disregard the numerous other ways maintain the current resources without passing the proposition. The education system is suffering not because of an inadequate budget, but because much of these resource have not been put to good use. According to an article on Fox News, “A middle school in Southern California is spending $10,000 a year to teach Advanced Placement Spanish to 35 of its 650 students—and all but one of them are already fluent in Spanish.” Such cases are not rare, and are clearly indicative of waste resource in the sector. Through careful planning and reform, good money can be redirected to genuinely benefit students and avoid being wasted. California does not need billions of funding gone to waste; it just needs to relocate the areas worth investing. Supporters of the proposition are incorrect to suggest that Proposition 30 is the only way to maintain quality of learning. It can also be achieved through reformation.

After understanding different arguments on Proposition 30, we can easily spot several fallacies in the arguments of the supporting party. There are logical flaws in their claims in attempts to justify the proposition. We cannot predict the effects if Proposition 30 is passed, yet it is important to make clear our stand and not to be blinded by biased arguments around us.

Reflection

This is the second in class essay in the class, I did not feel good when I submit this essay, I think there can be still more development on the points. As I am an international student, I have a sense that I do not have a very deep understand to the prompt and the situation in California. It is quite hard to figure out what is the situation in California in that short period of time. This is a problem on the preparation on the essay.

After learning from the failure from the first in class essay, I understand that proofreading take a very important role in the writing process. Looking at the in class essay 2, I think I have improved, but not much. The sentence variation is still very limited. I think if I have more time to do reading on different materials such as news, novels or even watching movies, it can help me to construct sentences in a better way.

What makes California special?

Everyone has a dream; everyone will choose to settle in a place best for their development. California is a special place; it means something unique and dissimilar from different standpoints. Many people come here to strive for their goals, creating anecdotes about the successful stories that happened on this extraordinary land. Thus, many poet and writers have borrowed various ways of art and literature to express their feelings towards the Golden State, and some have combined the beauty of poetry and music to express their sentiments to the place. “Sinaloa Cowboys” is one of the most famous poems about California, sharing an important message about California, telling tales how California has changed people and prompting people to think deeper about this place of opportunities. 

California is a place where people come in hopes of making their dreams and goals come true. It is a place rich in opportunities and advantages that helps Californian to become successful, a place where people can start afresh. In the poem “Sinaloa Cowboys” by Bruce Springsteen, it reads: “Miguel came from a small town in northern Mexico. He came north with his brother Louis to California three years ago. They crossed at the river levee, when Louis was just sixteen. And found work together in the fields of the San Joaquin.” This implies that people try their best to come to the blessed California. Through the simple account, it gives people a sense that California is a good place where they can find a better life, and enjoy higher living standards. California is famous of the availability of opportunities, supported by the numerous examples and legends from Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Similarly, in James J. Rawls’ article “California: A Place, a People, a Dream”, the writer stated: “The California Dream is a love affair with an idea, a marriage to a myth, a surrender to collective fantasy. Unbounded by time or space, the California Dream is transcendent, creating a unity, a whole, a merging of past, present, and future in the total California experience. It is quite impossibly everything- and quite impossibly nothing at all.” The writer suggests that the ample opportunities in California is a major reason for its large influx of immigrants. It is an edge rarely present in any other countries, making the Golden State a top choice for those who would like to try their luck.

California is a place that can urge people to grow and learn. In the poem “Sinaloa Cowboys” it mentioned: “They left their homes and family. Their father said, ‘My sons one thing you will learn” It can be understood that California can cultivate people to learn and mature.  The lyrics can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, California is famous for its education system, and when people consider their options of studying abroad, many will prioritize schools in California for pursuing their studies, and for benefiting from the new, welcoming environment. Secondly, California is a place where people can learn from the challenges they face in life, in work, study, life etc. As the old Chinese saying goes: “People who learn from mistake will grow faster than others.“ This hints that people who are here in California would probably receive more challenges from different aspects of life. They may have tough lives when they first start. However, they will learn more and will grow mature in a relatively short period of time comparing to those who grow up in their home countries. The “Sinaloa Cowboys” can be illustrated with an example of an international student who left his pampered life for further education in California. Without all the luxuries and conveniences of care from his family, he must learn to fend for himself while maintaining academic balance, urging him to grow into an independent person. These stories of Californian immigrants or international students have exhibited how the Golden State has greatly aided the intellectual and psychological growth of many.

California is a place where hard work will pay off. People can earn what they want if they are willing to put in effort in their work. The effort and the return will be on a relatively balanced scale. In the poem “Sinaloa Cowboys”, it says: “For everything the north gives, it exacts a price in return. They worked side by side in the orchards. From morning till the day was through. Doing the work the hueros wouldn't do.” These words imply that California provides people with adequate opportunities, but people need pay in their own devotion and diligence in order to develop these opportunities into success. It is impossible to take success for granted, and there is no shortcut to realizing dreams. As mentioned in “Notes of a California Expedition”: “the whole country is full of gold, which can be had for the digging of it. But those who come here, as many do, and imagine that it is easily to be picked up, will be disappointed.” This shows that in California, people cannot just sit there and wait for the fruit, but must invest effort in order to harvest gain. The idea of the poet can be easily found in the real world, as California has legislation on minimum wages. This makes sure workers can receive a fair return for their hard labor to support their lives. Thus, yield is promised to those who work hard to grasp the opportunities given.

There is always a price for success in California. It is a concept of give and take.  There is always some risk involved in improving one’s life. In the poem, it says: “There in the dirt he dug up ten-thousand dollars. All that they'd saved. Kissed his brothers lips and placed him in his grave.” This verse mentions how Louis sacrifices himself in hopes of bringing a better future for his brother or even their family. There is always some cost for achievement in California. Hard work is the prerequisite of attaining success. The price can be big to some, costing them their money, time, childhood, or even life. Success is not as easy as people think. It is common to see people giving up something in return for success in California. For instance, people need to leave their entire family to come to California. Many computer engineers from various states or countries have traveled long ways to come to the Silicon Valley to make a better living, and to look for more fruitful developments in their career. They have given up a large part of their lives in exchange for occupational opportunities. California may be a place of chances, but one can only succeed if one is willing to pay a price for it.

California is an extraordinary state, as shown in the poem “Sinaloa Cowboys” by Bruce Springsteen. It proves that California can provide its people with something that otherwise cannot be given in other places. It provides the opportunities of success, and the opportunity of learning and growing at a faster pace, given that people are willing to grasp these chances and strive for their goals. However, one should not underestimate the risks and challenges people may face in California, for it is the price to pay in order for one to excel.

Reflection

Looking back, the first out class essay is a better essay comparing to the first in class essay. There is a improvement in both grammar and the way I constructed the essay comparing the first and the final draft.  In the final draft, the word choice, the sequence of the paragraph is good, but I think I can still improve in the future.

However there are still some rooms of improvement on how to constructing the essay with the concept of PIE, PIE is a good method to give a basic structure to any academic essay. It provides a good flow for readers to follow, but I think my essay have not fully make use of the PIE, the connection between some P and I is not solid enough. Moreover, the explanation part can create more depth and better understanding; interact in a better with the poems

The Dream Place

 Since the nineteenth centuries, California has become an extraordinary place where nothing is impossible to happen. In the past few decades, California boasted some of the greatest pride across the nation-silicon valley was home to the smartest technologies and inventions of the twenty-first century, and Hollywood had created more theatrical talents than any other place. California is a place where impossible is nothing. It is a big promise to many foreigners—a promise of possibilities, success and comfort for those who are willing to strive and labor for it. As a result, people try their very best to immigrate to the beautiful California for the pursuit of their own dreams.

“Possibility” is a big word that California proudly boasts. There may be numerous personal understandings and expectations to the term, but “The California Dream” has been generally perceived a hope of dream come true. In James J. Rawl’s article “California: A Place, a People, a Dream”, the writer stated: “The California Dream is a love affair with an idea, a marriage to a myth, a surrender to collective fantasy. Unbounded by time or space, the California Dream is transcendent, creating a unity, a whole, a merging of past, present, and future in the total California experience. It is quite impossibly everything- and quite impossibly nothing at all.” There are a myriad of descriptions of the California Dream, all of which are very encouraging and optimistic. There are no limitations as to what one can achieve on this piece of Promised Land that realizes the famous motto “Nothing Is Impossible”. Physical factors such as time and location are non-existent obstacles to hinder anyone’s dream, and this can be understood that California is a place where people are looking for something better here. Taking my uncle as an example, they originally live in Hong Kong, in a small flat, as Hong Kong ‘s flat price were extremely high and the social benefits were not as good as California. They came to California eight years ago. He started his own business here, in a short period of time, due to his hard work. He successfully made much money and bought a big house and a nice car. This showed that California is a place can makes you better. Definitely, California dream is a synonym to improvement.

The California Dream is commonly connected to the ideals of quality lifestyle. Its moderate subtropical climates as well as the liberal manners have provided the easiness of life without much physical discomfort or mental oppression. In the past few decades, many people enjoyed high quality of life and better living standard in the Golden State. In “California Dreaming: Myths of the Golden Land”, it states: ”the promise if California has been one of the easy life – easy climate, easy money, freedom under sunny skies, paradise.“ California is known to offer an unparalleled place for its inhabitants, allowing a decent lifestyle for everyone without restraints. The simply “easy” has many implications on the California, suggesting that it is a haven with political stability, civil liberties, social acceptance and adequate resources. A place like California is hard to come by, since there are few places that can offer all the same, if not better, living qualities. Eastern China is known for its abundant resources and favorable climates, making it undoubtedly a good place to live. However, despite its natural advantage and recent economic success, many people are being oppressed by archaic legislations, and are vulnerable against the corrupted legal systems. In addition, they enjoy few privileges and their mindsets are controlled by the government. Hence, part of the essence of “being Californian” is the easiness and privileges of leading free and comfortable lives.

Furthermore, the Californian dream usually equates to the availability of opportunities. The West Coast, especially in its early stages, is a place where there are plenty of chances for people to explore and excel in various aspects. This is an attractive factor encouraging people to immigrate to California. In “ A New Perspective on the Dream” by Denise S. Spooner, she mentions how the migrants “identified California with risk, danger, excitement, and the chance of acquiring a fortune. This was exactly what some of the migrants had in mind when they imagined southern California as a land of adventure and opportunity”. California is a place providing different chances hardly found in other countries, where the commoners’ opportunities are often being seized by the strict adherence to the social hierarchy. The absence of an apparent social barrier makes California an attractive option for those who are willing to push their luck. Many Chinese immigrants entered California in the 19^th century in hopes of better lives and more opportunities to succeed. They saw the profusion of chances to become successful in their own trade, and opportunity to climb up the social ladder, and the possibility of giving a better life for their descendants. In short, California provided a second chance for all those who were previously restrained by the their social standings.

Nevertheless, the California dream is not merely about success; there is also the implication of the existence of risk. While opportunities are offered, not all that seize the chance are bound to be successful. Many people have failed in their journey of striving their own goal. As mentioned in “Notes of a California Expedition”: “the whole country is full of gold, which can be had for the digging of it. But those who come here, as many do, and imagine that it is easily to be picked up, will be disappointed.” Successful is part of, but not the complete, picture of life in California. One cannot be certain about prosperity, and can only hope for luck. The California Dream can only go so far as to provide a chance for some foreigner to try to lead different lives, but it does not guarantee anything.

The California Dream is a hope to abundant possibilities and chances to create a new life. The people’s work ethics and skills are like the seeds of plants, while the two main ideas in the California Dream, opportunities and success, are like the water and soil. The diligence and efforts alone does not guarantee fruitful results, like plants alone cannot grow without the necessary conditions. There must be a place, like California, which offers the critical conditions necessary for growth. 

Reflection 

This is the first in class essay; I had learned a lesson by a careless mistake, as I did not proofread much on my essay, there were many grammatical mistakes in it. The readers were proofreading it but not reading it. This is a reminded me that proofread is a very important process in writing an article.
            I think this essay can be improved in different ways. First, the sentence structure are similar, do not have much variety, it is quite boring to the readers. Moreover, the choice of vocabularies, the limited vocabularies in my mind had also limited the message I can express. I hope I can learn more through reading others’ paper and practice more to improve my writing skills.